As you know I have been creating many value paintings recently. I started doing these works as grisailles for pastel and oil glazing. Next, I began to really like doing it. The value paintings are different than the notans, which are small studies with only 3 or 4 blocks of value. These I do before beginning bigger works to determine value patterns and dominant values.
Now add the idea of a full value painting.And after creating many I have came to the belief that it is imperative to do these before beginning big works. It really helps me work out the main issues before heading to the juicy stuff-color.
Most artists know that normally the sky is the lightest value, followed by the horizontal planes reflecting the sky, next the slanted planes and the darkest are the vertical planes. Doing the value paintings allows me to work out the other nuances and hopefully some of the obvious mistakes. Mistakes like making the sky too dark in value or nuances like how the movement works, or how the shapes work together.....are they interesting or redundant? The value paintings also stress how you, the artist are the conductor of the painting. Like a symphony you decide how you want the musicians to play together...darken one...lighten another? You choose. When it is in black and white it is so easy to see.
It's also good to do these value paintings if you are stuck in you painting. What you can't see in color you can see in black and white. It's funny how we (I) can overlook things we KNOW inside when caught in the frenzy of painting.
Have I convinced you to try one?
10 comments:
hello,
I just stumbled upon your blog and I'm thrilled! I recently took up pastels after painting in oil for decades and the density and richness of pigment is a revelation to me, it feels like a fresh start.
I browsed your earlier entries over the past year and I have to tell you that I admire your determination and desire to probe deeper and push harder that doesn't diminish over time. Not to mention your paintings and value studies are beautiful. They have a wonderful quality of being rich and indulgent and balanced at the same time.
I'll be coming here often now:)
Thanks for sharing your incites and talent with the rest of us.
How could one let the beauty and purpose
of this piece go unnoticed. Your knowledge
of the process continues to amaze.
PB
Hi Nika and welcome to my blog! Thank you so much for all your kind words. Please do come back and visit me often.
Hi PB!!!!
You know just how to make your way to a girl's heart!!! Thank you!
Just met Mae in a computer class on the Zaandam. Can hardly wait to spent time looking at this site. Love what I have seen.
Liz
Oh, okay. The dogwalk today was absurdly cold, and the snow has made everything mostly black and white anyway, so I'd be a fool not to try a value painting in the studio tomorrow. I can't promise a skiff of color won't sneak in, but with all of your tempting tips, how can I resist? ...*gulp*...
"The frenzy of painting"...Hee hee. True.
This is a great one.
Good luck Sam. I think you will enjoy your experience.
Jala, I am sure you know all about the frenzy of painting. And thank you.
Hi Liz and thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you enjoyed your visit and are enjoying your vacation. Say hi to Mae for me!
Loriann
Hi Lorianne
Is it my computer or am I seeing two colours in this (beautiful) value study? Magenta & black?
Why two colours? Does the black go on last so as to commit & emphatically underline the darkest darks? ie You work from light to dark in general?
The 'frenzy of painting' often means we have to try it & see, even whilst throwing 'rules' & plans out of the window.
Hi Adam,
When I do my value studies I use a sepia color (diane townsend) and I also find I need to use black to make deeper darks. It is interesting that it looks magenta on your screen. Goes to show how different all of our computer monitors are. I had tried to use just the sepia but was frustrated by the lack of a real dark. The black and sepia go on at the same time... sort of like mixing oils on your palette.
Frenzy of painting certainly does mean throwing out the rules- for better or worse. Can't avoid it so you have to embrace it.
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